Resveratrol protects C6 astrocyte cell line against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress through heme oxygenase 1

PLoS One. 2013 May 15;8(5):e64372. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064372. Print 2013.

Abstract

Resveratrol, a polyphenol presents in grapes and wine, displays antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and cytoprotective effect in brain pathologies associated to oxidative stress and neurodegeneration. In previous work, we demonstrated that resveratrol exerts neuroglial modulation, improving glial functions, mainly related to glutamate metabolism. Astrocytes are a major class of glial cells and regulate neurotransmitter systems, synaptic processing, energy metabolism and defense against oxidative stress. This study sought to determine the protective effect of resveratrol against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cytotoxicity in C6 astrocyte cell line, an astrocytic lineage, on neurochemical parameters and their cellular and biochemical mechanisms. H2O2 exposure increased oxidative-nitrosative stress, iNOS expression, cytokine proinflammatory release (TNFα levels) and mitochondrial membrane potential dysfunction and decreased antioxidant defenses, such as SOD, CAT and creatine kinase activity. Resveratrol strongly prevented C6 cells from H2O2-induced toxicity by modulating glial, oxidative and inflammatory responses. Resveratrol per se increased heme oxygenase 1 (HO1) expression and extracellular GSH content. In addition, HO1 signaling pathway is involved in the protective effect of resveratrol against H2O2-induced oxidative damage in astroglial cells. Taken together, these results show that resveratrol represents an important mechanism for protection of glial cells against oxidative stress.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Astrocytes / cytology
  • Astrocytes / drug effects*
  • Cell Line
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / pharmacology*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
  • Resveratrol
  • Stilbenes / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Stilbenes
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Heme Oxygenase-1
  • Glutathione
  • Resveratrol

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS), FINEP/Rede IBN 01.06.0842-00 and INCTEN National Institute of Science and Technology for Excitotoxicity and Neuroprotection. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.